How to Formulate a Productivity Diet: Tips from an Olympic Coach

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In order to have enough strength and energy, fill the plate correctly.

The publishing house "MYTH" published the book "Energy value" - for those who want to eat rationally. Sports nutritionist James Collins will teach you how to fill a plate based on your needs on a specific day or week, stick to travel and visiting plans, and introduce healthy eating habits. With the permission of the publishing house, Lifehacker publishes an excerpt from the book.

Designing your cymbal for performance

Making your plate is a four-part process. At the football club, we strive to ensure that all players consistently go through all the lines of food in the restaurant, adding food to their plate. This is not difficult to replicate at home when you design your cymbal to work (see picture).

Of course, any cymbal design should start with rebuilding. Protein is needed for recovery. In chapter 2 we

discussed the process of breaking down and then repairing your muscles in 24 hours, and protein is the best helper here.

Learning to quickly determine the portion size with improvised means

Setting up your plate within an energy plan should be a relatively straightforward task. Time is required primarily for cooking. The truth of life is that many of us do not even have an extra minute to weigh portions (as well as the desire to do it). Although this chapter lists serving weights (for those who care about accuracy), here's a quicker and more reliable way to determine serving size.

• One serving of protein is the amount that fits in the palm of your hand.
• One serving of carbs is equivalent to your handful.
• One serving of vegetables is two handfuls.
• One serving of fruit is one handful.
• One serving of healthy fats is the size of your thumb.

More detailed information on products and their weight can be found in the appendix.

Next comes the fueling in the form of low glycemic carbohydrates, and their amount (and whether they are needed at all) depends on the workout load and your goals.

The third component of a performance plate is the protection provided by micronutrients found in fruits and vegetables and healthy fats.

The fourth and final element is the restoration of water balance. Fluid requirements tend to increase before and after exercise to prepare the body for exercise and replenish fluid loss. We'll take a closer look at this point in the next chapter.

Many different types of food can be used to build a plate. Above all, it is important to know which sources of recovery, refueling, and protection are best for you, given your possible dietary restrictions (eg, if you are a vegetarian or vegan; restrictions for other reasons). Of course, whatever these sources are, they should bring you pleasure.

Below are some guidelines for sizing your portions, as well as tips on how to incorporate these sources into your diet - although I'm sure you have your own ideas for that too.

Step 1: recovery foods (proteins)

We have noted that protein is essential for every meal. The list of protein foods below includes mostly complete proteins from animal and plant sources.

There are also deficient proteins that need to be combined with other deficient proteins in order to obtain complete proteins. These proteins are marked with an asterisk (*); for example, you can pair these foods with basmati rice.

Remember: 1 serving = 1 palm.

• Hen.
• Turkey.
• Beef.
• Eggs.
• Salmon.
• Tuna.
• Halibut.
• King prawns.
• Tofu.

• Tempeh (fermented whole soybean food

  beans).

• Quinoa.
• Buckwheat.
• Greek yogurt (low in fat).
• Beans (common, black, pinto) *.
• Lentils*.
• Chickpea *.

Step 2: refueling foods (carbohydrates)

One of the most important parameters to consider for carbohydrate foods is the glycemic index. A more important parameter is the glycemic load, which takes into account not only the glycemic index, but also the amount of carbohydrates in the food. Calculated by the formula: GN = GI × (carbohydrate content in 100 g of product) / 100. - Approx. scientific. ed. … We noted in Chapter 2 that, in most cases, it is recommended to eat low-GI foods so that energy is released more slowly. This means choosing whole grain options for your favorite foods - rice, pasta, bread. The app contains a complete list of carbohydrates, including high GI foods, that may be needed during an intense training program.

Remember: 1 serving = 1 handful.

• Oats
• Muesli.
• Rice (whole grain, basmati, or wild).
• Wholemeal pasta.
• Buckwheat.
• Quinoa.
• Lentils.
• Sweet potato.
• Spelled wheat.
• Barley.
• Bulgur.
• Frike (fried young wheat groats).
• Rye or whole grain bread.

Step 3: Protect Foods (Vegetables, Fruits, and Healthy Fats)

The third step in building your plate is adding protection foods. Periodically, your need for vegetables will increase (for example, in winter; we will discuss this in the chapter "Immunity"). However, the basic guideline is that you need to include two different types of vegetables in every meal to increase your micronutrient intake.

Please note that we are talking about starch-free vegetables, i.e. potatoes and sweet potatoes, which are high in carbohydrates, in this case, are excluded from the list (at the same time, we included avocados on the list, although this is not a vegetable).

Fruits and berries can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack (for example, berries are high in antioxidants, or apples and pears, which are rich in dietary fiber, are also excellent sources of micronutrients).

The general recommendation is to include more vegetables in your energy plan than fruits because vegetables contain less

Sahara. By following this rule, you will get closer to that “great five” (or even seven), which we will discuss in detail in the chapter “Aging”.

Remember: 1 serving = 2 handfuls.

• Broccoli.
• Spinach.
• Beet.
• Onion.
• Romaine lettuce (roman salad).
• Avocado (half).
• Rucola.
• Green beans.
• Tomatoes.
• Pepper.
• Bok Choi (Chinese collard).
• Asparagus.
• Mushrooms.
• Zucchini.
• Carrot.
• Green pea.

Remember: 1 serving = 1 handful.

• Blueberry.
• Blackberry.
• Raspberries.
• Apples.
• Pears.
• Kiwi.
• Watermelon.
• Cherry.
• Garnet.
• Oranges.
• Peaches.
• Passion fruit.

In the first part of the book, we learned that we need to focus on healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats (replacing them with

trans fats and saturated fats). Each meal should include a serving of these healthy fats. A portion of fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, trout) eaten as a source of protein will also tick the fat column. Fatty fish is a high-calorie food, so make sure to respect the serving size (palm).

Remember: 1 serving = 1 thumb.

• Extra virgin olive oil.
• Canola or canola oil.
• Seeds (e.g. chia, flax, sunflower)
• Nuts (e.g. walnuts, almonds, macadamia, pistachios)
• Avocado (half).
• Fatty fish.

Personalization of portions

Should a 100kg rugby player eat more than a 50kg gymnast? Should a 80-pound man eat a larger portion than his 60-pound girlfriend? Obviously, the answer is yes, so in Part I we talked about grams (protein, fat, carbohydrate) per kilogram of body weight. The larger and heavier you are, the greater your muscle mass and the more severe your carbohydrate, protein, and fluid requirements (however, there is no compelling evidence for fat).

So, knowing the standard sizes of an individual serving, you can think about how to adjust this volume in accordance with your body weight. For simplicity, we will use two serving sizes: standard and large. We will draw the boundary not by gender, but by body weight - 75 kilograms. If your weight is 75 kilograms or less, use a standard serving, and if you are larger, use an increased serving, which is determined as follows.

• Protein= 1.5 servings (1.5 palms).
• Carbohydrates = 1.5 servings (1.5 handfuls).
• Vegetables = 1.5 servings (3 handfuls).
• Fruits and berries = 1.5 servings (1.5 handfuls).
• Healthy fats = Leave serving size unchanged (1 thumb).

These are not rigid norms, and you may have to use trial and error to find the optimal balance in order to get up from the table with a feeling of fullness, rather than hunger or heaviness. Experiment and see what works for you. If you are a 100kg rugby player or just training intensely, use the more accurate tables in the app to increase your refueling and recovery portions.

Types of plates for performance

In working with athletes, we use the principles outlined in this book. They are designed to be easy to apply wherever you are. Make it a rule to use these principles every time you go to a restaurant or cook at home.

There are two types of plates that the average person can construct as part of their energy plan: a refueling plate (fuel plate) and a recovery plate (recovery). And for those who are preparing for a major event or competition (for example, triathlon), we have a tournament plate.

Fuel plate

You already know that when it comes to exercising, the most important needs are pre-workout fuel and post-workout fueling. Refueling gives us enough fuel to handle the load, and recovery helps

our muscles adapt and replenish glycogen stores. In addition, the fuel tray is a necessary tool for maintaining energy levels throughout the workday (we'll talk more about this in the next chapter).

The fuel plate, which ensures our performance, consists of three parts:

• 1 serving for recovery (protein);
• 1 serving for refueling (carbohydrates);
• 1 serving for protection (vegetables / fruits and healthy fats).

Separately, the figure shows a glass of liquid, since it is very important to drink liquids when eating fuel, and the need for water increases before and after training. We'll talk about different drinks later.

Recovery plate

Composition of the recovery plate:

• 1, 5 servings for recovery (protein);
• 1, 5 servings for protection (vegetables);
• 1 serving of healthy fats.

We each have our own work schedule and we need flexible refueling tools. This means that you need to be prepared to adjust your food intake based on your needs if your plans change. For many people, it makes sense to eat a restorative meal at the end of the day when the body is well fueled and less energy is needed for the evening (for example, there is no workout after work) and carbohydrates are not required. The need for fluid also decreases, so you can reduce the amount.

If your goal is to reduce body fat, breakfast can be a flexible refueling tool. Use the recovery plate when you want to eat before exercise (you may need to adjust your fluid intake), but only if you have not exercised on an empty stomach (before breakfast): in this case, recover with the fuel plate after exercise.

Tournament plate

The tournament plate is designed for athletes refueling for or recovering from a specific event (such as a football or rugby match) or endurance competition (such as a marathon or triathlon). Here's what it contains:

• 1 serving for recovery (protein);
• 2 servings for refueling (carbohydrates);
• 1 serving for protection (vegetables and healthy fats).

This plate is designed to receive more carbohydrates - to replenish the fuel stores in the liver and muscles. Half of the plate is set aside for carbs (two servings), and supplements such as bread, juice, sports drink, or dessert can increase their content. Depending on the food, the amount varies, but in general, each meal provides at least one gram of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight - that is, 70 grams of carbohydrates for a 70-pound person. You get that amount of carbs by eating a large bowl of oatmeal and fruit juice for breakfast, or a serving of basmati rice and a roll. For some athletes, the amount of carbohydrates should be even higher (up to three grams per kilogram of body weight), and supplements become important with each meal.

A full “refueling day” can include carbohydrate-based snacks that add up to more than six grams of carbs per pound of body weight (we'll cover this in more detail in Chapter 6, 24/7 Fuel: Planning). This method is commonly used by rugby players, football players and endurance athletes.

Your performance plates are the foundation of your energy plan. They provide food that suits your needs on a particular day. Therefore, it is very important to start with their surroundings in order to regulate the hormones that control our appetite, blood glucose levels and overall energy levels. Without considering the types of food and the schedule of meals, you will constantly feel hungry and lack energy.

James Collins has worked with Arsenal footballers and athletes at three Olympic Games, and in private practice has helped establish nutrition for actors, musicians and entrepreneurs of all ages. The methodology developed by him is not just another diet with a rigid menu, but universal principles that allow you to create a healthy diet depending on your goals and needs. Collins' energy plan is suitable for anyone who wants to look and feel good, as well as to gain vigor and strength for accomplishment.